


Dancing In The Rain

by pixierosedragon



Series: In The Rain [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Aliens, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, F/M, Future Fic, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-10-20
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:28:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixierosedragon/pseuds/pixierosedragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A dystopian society on the verge of planetary collapse has not yet given up hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is another original work that is still a WIP. I welcome constructive criticisms. Your comments encourage me to write. I have just under 20,000 words currently for this work, and would love to be inspired to write more. As with my other WIP, I will attempt to post once a week, on Mondays.

The year is 2037. The corporations of the world, with the governments in their back pockets, have continued to use and exploit the resources of the planet until they are scraping the bottom of the metaphoric barrel. Ignoring the warnings of scientists and scholars, oil reserves are at their lowest ever, and the best set aside to service the very wealthy and the very powerful, as well as the military. And the military works for the aforementioned wealthy and powerful, not for the so-called good of the people. Citizens only exist as far as they are taxable. People, in all their wisdom, for the most part choose to ignore or adapt to the changes in their world. Like sand-bound ostriches, they hide from reality and continued to plow on through life as if they were still living back at the onset of the millennium. Ignoring the fact that they breathe filtered air and drink filtered water inside massive dome cities, they spend money, drive low-mileage cars, eat out, and in general, pretend their bank accounts are limitless. Waste and greed slowly clench tighter the purse strings of the nation, and while people continue to go about their business, worry lines and stress headaches grew more and more frequent.

Miles upon miles of what once was fertile farmland now lay waste in wind-driven sand. Bad husbandry had brought them to this state; over-used and stripped, the land had no chance to recover. To complicate matters, what had once been an oil pipeline almost 4000 miles in total length, and capable of transporting over a million barrels of oil a day, had become a victim of the climate crisis. An abnormally cold winter followed by an equally abnormally hot summer weakened the connections of the pipeline, and disaster was not too far behind. Ever-increasing atmospheric storms producing high winds and lightning, added to the mix to make quite an explosive combination. Fires ran the length of the pipeline for months, destroying homes and families, neatly splitting the country in half, from southern Canada, to the Gulf Coast. Hundreds of miles of prairie, starting in Nebraska and radiating out from there, raged in fire, consuming homes and land indiscriminately. The Bakken formation, housing at one time over 20 billion barrels of oil, was the next to go. Pressure from the hot air and land around it, meeting pressure from the molten lava far beneath the surface caused a chain reaction within those subterranean chambers, creating a massive earthquake, further splitting the country at its seams.

That fire didn’t stop burning for almost two years, and it would take the land hundreds of years to recover from the devastation. Time we just didn’t have. The entire political landscape of the country was changed; due to economies collapsing, the nation, at least what is left of it, is now under martial law. There is no more voice of the people, no more of even a hint at democracy. People have no rights, and women even less. Women and children are property, and can be legally sold by whomever can prove legal right to them. Children are rented as laborers, and women sold to the highest bidder upon their 18th birthday. The extreme fundamentalist right have taken things a few steps further than their historical counterparts, and anyone even hinting at an orientation not part of the acceptable norm are subjected to the desert.

What was once three distinct countries is now united, political circumstances in the guise of an economic crisis bringing the United States, Canada and Mexico together under one United North American regime. The UNA claim its borders from the North Pole to the now flooded and useless Panama Canal. Most of the islands that had once been under their purview are now only shadows of themselves, or gone completely. Climate changes have warped the landscape, and the Caribbean Islands as well as most of Florida are gone. What was once California has long since fallen into the sea. Vegas had become the new Hollywood, before it too disappeared under the sands. The rest of the world have been affected just as badly, if not worse. And it has all happened so very quickly.

Reservations of untouched land grew smaller and smaller, and only a few such spaces existed in North America, mostly owned by corporations as playgrounds for their highest ranking officers, and used to impress others in power. What they were not aware of, blinded by their bloated egos, was what was happening just beneath their feet. For not all of humanity had succumbed to the numbness of sheep-like existence. What had started as a group of doomsayers building underground pockets of civilization all over the country years before became the path of a paramilitary group set on rescuing their planet. Underground in all senses of the word, an organized and functioning society erupted beneath the sheep and the sand. Hydroponics are developed to grow foods beneath the surface, all organic and all high in the vitamins and minerals that people needed. Meat is rare, as grazing lands had vanished beneath the sands. In truth, those who live beneath the surface eat better and are healthier than those above. Water is provided from wind catchers mounted in the desert. These are raised at night, and the cool night winds brought fresh air and moisture down into the bunkers and caves, then lowered again before dawn, when the sands will once again cover them. The shafts of wind served a two-fold purpose. Turbines situated within the shafts used the wind to power the generators that run the entire length of the cave system.

There are agents of the underground everywhere, living in the cities and recruiting always. Much of what was once the United States of America had become a vast desert. If a recruit is found worthy, they are told to go into the deep desert. No one is going to come looking for you. It was known that if you wanted to disappear, you walked into the sands and never looked back.

Amidst all of this and spread throughout the movement, yet unseen, were the Talon. A group of aliens without corporeal form, they came to this planet several thousand years ago. They had lived in peace on their home planet, until some rogues among them gave in to the pressure of dissatisfaction and made an unholy alliance with greedy offworlders, who sought to ravage their home of its essence. A previously peaceful race that did not believe in harming another, they became warriors to defend their world, albeit they were too late. The rogues escaped their planet; homeless, what was left of their people sacrificed their fleshly bodies and followed them through time and space, until they found them here, on planet Earth. Unable to fight without form, they chose people among the world to bond with, willing hosts with the mental and physical fortitude to aid them in the battle. They have come close, time and again, but now, it would all be ending. One way or another, they would end the rogues’ existence, hopefully while there was still a planet to save. The Talon seemed to be immortal, while their hosts, with their human bodies, would eventually age and die. Being a host to a Talon would increase your life expectancy about a hundred or so years, but you would still be far from immortal.

Now that the time had come to end this, they need battle worthy hosts, willing and able to bond with them, of the right heart and open minded. For the Talon remember everything they have learned over their many lifetimes, and being bonded with a Talon meant that those memories would become your own, and their strengths would become yours. It is a rare breed of people that these times had shaped, courageous and true. They were to become the heroes of the world. These are their stories.


	2. Chapter One

The presence made itself known to her first, so she knew before she opened her eyes that she was in a hospital bed, broken bones bandaged, and from the floating feeling in her head, she knew she was on some type of pain medication. For a brief moment of panic, she couldn’t remember where she was or how she got there, then the presence stilled the panic better than any morphine drip. She methodically tried to remember the last things that happened to her before she woke up here, wherever here was, and blinding pain blossomed in her head. Her body moved in protest of the pain, and she knew that someone was standing next to her bed. A nurse or orderly, she thought, as she felt coolness seep into her veins and she fell into sweet oblivion.

Sometime later, she awoke again, and knew that she had gotten here via the wonderful ole UN of A. Flashes of memory surfaced, no clear pictures, but she did remember that she had gotten pulled over for “suspicious activity” and taken to a detainment center where she was told that she was a suspected terrorist and there would be no phone call, and no, she would not be receiving any legal representation. Thank you, UNA government, who in your short-sighted, let’s control the world attitude, you now make regular citizens into criminals. She was a Licensed Massage Therapist, for Goddess sake! What kind of terrorist could she really be? And a solitary license, at that, free to operate without having to be constantly in her master’s presence, or even be accompanied by an agent of her master. She was Mark’s agent, in her work. He was an intelligent man, one who did not believe in the new system of ownership, and he gave her many freedoms that she would not otherwise have. Everything was good, as long as she kept her nose clean. And she worked really hard at that. Still didn’t explain how she had gotten so hurt or how she got where she was or even where that was. She must have moved in her agitation, because she felt bliss sliding into her bloodstream and she was out again.

The next time she became aware, the presence let her know that she was no longer in a hospital bed, instead she was in a regular bed, but still in a very sterile hospital type room. She still had a cast on her arm and splints on her fingers, and there was still a dull ache in her head, but the catheter had been removed, as well as the I.V. in her left hand. It was her bladder that had awakened her. She went to sit up and realized that she was completely and utterly naked. Oh, well, it wasn’t like she had a whole lot of modesty, nor was she embarrassed by nudity. After all, she had been on her way to a very adult convention, where she was to teach sensual massage to a group of newbie pleasure women. Hard to be modest or easily embarrassed in that profession with nekkid people parading around all the time. But she did wonder where her clothing had got off to.

After the throb in her head had died back down to a dull ache again, she stood up, waited for the dizzy spell to pass and walked over to an open door. Ah, the bathroom. After she took care of business she looked in the mirror in the bathroom and her eyes widened. Her body was so covered with bruises and small contusions, it was difficult to tell what her actual skin color was. No wonder she hurt all over. Images flashed in her mind, and she remembered the legal representatives of her obsolete government attempting to “make” her talk about her supposed terrorist activities. Her right arm was broken in three places and all the fingers on her right hand, and from the pain below her chest a few cracked ribs as well. The last thing she was conscious of before she passed out from the pain was giving them the finger with her broken digit and then something slammed into the back of her head and darkness reached for her. She came to in a soft warm place, with someone gently stroking her cheek and whispering her name. Her eyes came slowly open to take in the sight of a winged goddess smiling at her.

“Welcome back.”

“Where am I?”

“Nowhere, and everywhere. We are not in a physical dimension that you can measure with your eyes and senses. Here, you measure with your heart and spirit.”

“I don’t understand. What, what are you? Are you The Goddess?”

“Oh, heavens and spirits, no, child! What I am is hard to understand. How about we start simply? Do you remember what happened to you? How you were arrested and beaten? Good, then we have a start. Here, in this reality, you can see and touch me; I have a physical aspect to you, as you do to me. In your world, I have no corporeal body. I am not even as solid as a mist.”

“Wait. Are you saying that you are a spirit, like the wind?”

“Oh, dear one, not quite so simplistic, but it pleases me that you are attempting to understand me without screaming. I am older than time on your world, and will endure indefinitely. I suppose you could call me immortal. I am older than your gods, yet I have no wish for dominion over them. I only wish to help. For that, I need a host. Someone who will let me live with her spirit in unity within your physical body.”

“Um, are we talking possession here? Cause I really don’t think that’s cool. I mean, you seem nice and all, but I don’t know about having someone in my head with me all the time. That has got to be weird.” She paused as something occurred to her. “What do you mean, you only wish to help? Help who, and with what?”

“Why, child, to help you, and your gods and this beautiful planet that you call home. Have not your gods been crying out against the rampant raping of your home? Have you not felt the terror of the creatures of this place screaming out for help? We have heard these cries across the galaxies and have come to assist you in taking back your world. In order to do this, we must have willing hosts, people with spirits in line with ours, humans with the ability to love without question and the ability to sacrifice all for their cause. There is so much that we can teach you.”

“We? How many of you would be in my head?!”

Her wings shivered as she laughed with delight. “Only three, little one, and then only until my mates have found their hosts.” She waved a hand behind her and two male versions of her stepped into the light.

Goddess, she breathed, were they all that was hot or what? Wow. Wait.

“Uh, mates? So, what exactly does that mean? If they find their hosts, will they still be your mates? I mean, would I be expected to, you know? Would I have to, umm, “mate” with them?”

“Oh, dear one, you are such a delight! I picked you because I know from your mind that this is what you really want. How long have you searched for compatibility in two men to make them your own? Two men who find love with themselves as much as with you? Two men who would follow where you lead.”

As much as she hated to admit it, the winged lady was totally on the money. Relationships never seemed to satisfy her. Even before the world went to shit, monogamy and fidelity were never the problems. She just wanted more. Knowing herself to be an alpha female, she instinctively knew that being with another woman, while fun for a while, was not meant to be for her. Two alpha women together was just a recipe for disaster. And unfortunately for her, because she was an alpha, she tended to attract men who wanted to be the sub to her Dom while still being able to yank her chain. There were more of these in the world now than there used to be, even. Again, not something she was interested in beyond the occasional bedroom playtime. What she needed was an alpha male, someone who could challenge her on a regular basis, to tell her what was up when she was wrong, and who could temper her strengths with his own. What she ended up with were domineering control freak bastards.

No, the only real solution that she could think of to be truly happy in a relationship was to find two alpha males, who also loved each other and wanted an equal three-way relationship with her. No jealousies or petty insecurities to get in the way of great sex and a strong united front against any and all who would take away their world. Because, in reality, she really was a terrorist. At least, according to the DoD, protesters were considered terrorists, guilty of felony. And with new laws passed, it meant that anyone protesting could be arrested for terrorism and locked up indefinitely with no representation or assassinated on sight, as they willed. As she had learned the hard personal way. She turned back to the winged one.

“Tell me how you can help me. Tell me how we can fight for my world.”

“I have been on this planet for a millenia. I have had many hosts, and everything that they ever knew or learned, I have the knowledge of. I can teach you everything you want to know about fighting, physically and mentally. And, I can arrange for you to be transported to a safe place. These people do not have an active knowledge of me or my race, but they fight on the same side as you. They are a para-military group fighting underground to change the political landscape. There are already many of my people inside.”

“What happens when we win? Will you still need a host? Or will you go back home again and leave us?”

A tear glistened in her eyes for a moment, then she blinked and it was gone. “I have no home. My home was destroyed long ago. When we win,” and she was smiling again, “I will have no direct need of a host, so if you wish, I will leave you. I will still be here, but you will no longer be able to interact with me as you do now.” She suddenly looked shy. “I hope that you will ask me to stay.”

“So, how does this work exactly? Will I still be me? Will my thoughts be mine? I mean, I just want to still be me, you know?”

“I do know. You humans have such a need for identity. It is one of the things that truly hinders your species from ever becoming one with each other and with your planet. All things are connected, and yet this strong sense of self constantly makes you islands amidst some bleak and empty ocean. Until you can learn to connect with each other and with your world, you will ever be in danger of destroying it. Yet your race is capable of such capacity to love, such inherent selflessness, you are truly unique in the universe.

“Think of it like this: You are layers of yourself, with holes or pockets of emptiness. I will become a layer covering over all of that, filling in the gaps and holes and making you complete. By necessity, you will lose part of yourself, but think of it as a purging of negativity and bad health. Once we become one, you will see through your own eyes, with an extra something added on. One of my hosts once called it the Inner Eye, the ability to see beyond the physical to that which lies beneath. In short, everything you have ever wanted.”

“And if I refuse? What will you do?

“I will send you back to your body and make sure that you survive, but you will not remember me or this conversation. You will continue on with your life as you have been living it, aware of the great war around you, but not the part you could be playing.”

OK, that meant decision time. She had to take a step forward, if for no other reason than to counteract all the steps back she had taken her entire life. To have the strength and courage to let go of herself in order to become more, better, and able to fight what had become a losing battle in her eyes for her world. She would do just about anything to prevent the destruction of this planet, this green earth that was slowly becoming a sad dead thing. And, yes, she had been aware of the displeasure of the gods and the crying out of the many denizens of the world, heard the screams in her sleep and in the air all around her. This she would do, this sacrifice she would make, because her world was worth it, and she would not have the screams and cries of the weak and displaced be for nothing. She turned to the winged lady with determination on her face.

“I’ll do it. This planet needs you, I need you. Tell me what I have to do to let you in.”

Tears of pure gratitude and love were freely streaming down that beautiful face. “Oh, my dear sweet one, how courageous you are! How you honor me! Give me your hands. When you wake up you will still be recovering from your previous injuries and may not remember me right away. It’s alright, you will soon. Oh, and this will hurt, but only for a short time. See you on the flip side!”

And her world burst into sparkling bits and fireworks and something felt like it was ripped from her very soul, then a soothing calm invaded her senses and she knew no more.

She came back to herself, shaking and nauseous with the return of her memory, leaning against the counter in the bathroom. With a deep shuddering breath, she washed her face and hands with water from the tap, the splashing cold water bringing her more and more back to herself. She knew now what the presence was, but had no name to call her winged friend. She supposed that too would come in time.

She finished up and was walking back into the room when the door opened. A doctor type, in a white coat over scrubs, looked surprised to see her. The presence had made her aware of the doctor while he was still down the hall, so she had no surprise on her face. She studied him, the presence letting her know more about him than the man probably knew about himself. She smiled.

She waited as the man recovered from his shock at finding her up and about, moving to the bed to sit down as he did so; her body was starting to protest her upright position. She lay down, but neglected to cover herself. Something inside her wanted the man to be off his stride when dealing with her. He recovered some of his professionalism and walked over to start examining her. His gentle touch assured her that he was a doctor because he wanted to help people. Once he had finished his examination, he pulled the blankets over her. His voice, when he spoke, was soft and melodic.

“Your arm and fingers and ribs are healing nicely and as soon as we get you your own quarters, I will give you some exercises to start strengthening your muscles again. The bruises are fading and shouldn’t give you much more trouble and all of your cuts are healing well. I’ll bring you some clothing so we can get you moved. I honestly didn’t think that you would be up so soon, or I would have come prepared to move you. Now, do you have any questions?”

“Where am I?” Her voice was slightly raspy from not having spoken in so long, but she managed to get the words out. The doctor picked a glass from the side table, poured water from a pitcher and handed it to her. She took a sip, then handed it back to him.

“Thanks, now where am I?”

“That is one thing I do not have the clearance to tell you. I’m sorry. I should have been more specific. Do you have any questions about your injuries?”

“Yeah. When do I get to break the fingers of the assholes that broke mine?”

The doctor grinned. “Good! You’re remembering. I was told when you were brought in that you had no idea who you were or what had happened to you. That was a serious knock on the head you suffered. So, tell me, what is your name?”

Panic rushed through her as she opened her mouth to tell him her name. Oh, shit! She closed her mouth and looked at the doctor hopelessly. He rushed to assure her.

“Don’t be alarmed. These things take time. Since you are already remembering, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until you get the rest. I have to finish my rounds and make sure your quarters are ready, then I will be back this evening to move you. I hope you will be comfortable here while you recover.” With that, the good doctor was gone, and she was left realizing that not only did she still not know who she was, he had managed to evade her questions.

She did sleep for a while, and while she rested, her brain began to assimilate images from the presence, her winged lady who now resided in her head. Things were still a big jumble, but she was aware that their thought processes were attempting to align. She wondered how long it would take. She desperately needed a name. Something to do with that sense of self that the lady had mentioned. Patience is a virtue. So, why did she not feel like being all that virtuous right now?


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Turns out I am going to be quite busy on Monday, so I am posting a day early this week! As always, comments and kudos are welcome and are inspirations for a continuation of the story. I only have so many more chapters completed after this one, so let me know if you like it or not thus far or that may be the end of it. I'm a licensed massage therapist in real life and I work a lot of hours. Inspiration is a required tool for writing.

When she woke again, she had a clearer vision of self, but also pieces of memory from previous hosts would flash through her mind occasionally. It made seeing things interesting, not to mention her vision was still not clear from the bang on the head. The presence had alerted her to an approaching person, the good doctor. He came in with a bag in one hand and a covered tray in the other. He handed her the bag of clothing, then turned away to set her tray on a small table. He remained turned, fidgeting with the food, and she rightly assumed that he was trying to give her privacy in order to dress. She sighed.

“Doc, man, you’ve already seen me naked, and I have no modesty, so it’s not likely that you will embarrass me. If you are turned away for your own modesty, then you are forgiven. If not, then get your medical ass over here and help me put this shirt on.”

He laughed and came over to assist. She looked up into his soft brown eyes and something clicked inside her. He was like her, a host. She stared. He smiled at her and gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. Then he had her eat before he moved her to another part of the complex.

Her quarters consisted of a small room with a double bed, surprisingly comfortable, a bathroom, kitchenette with a fridgie, and a quite complete work out area and home gym. A small medical office connected to the kitchenette, but that door was locked with a keypad and it was the only way out. There were no windows, and based on the lack of real fresh air and sounds from outside, she assumed she was somewhere underground. Somewhere. The fridgie was kept well stocked and clean sheets and towels were provided every three days. Her clothing consisted of black cargo pants and tank tops and after her request to the doctor, some pale blue scrub bottoms to use as sleep pants and some stretchy black pants to work out in. With a blush he also directed her attention to a drawer built into the wall. When she opened it, there were panties and sport bras, just the kind she favored, but these were not hers. She raised a brow at him.

“Everything is new. Not to worry. My, ah, my mate picked things out for you that she knew you would be comfortable wearing. I hope everything is acceptable. The next few months are going to be a bit difficult for you. For your protection, we must keep you isolated until the Joining is complete. Also, we seek hosts for your mates.”

“How did your mate know what I would be comfortable wearing?” She was ignoring the mates comment for the moment. Just too much to deal with right now. One thing at a time.

“Ah, we can communicate on an astral level with each other. Your lady will teach you in time.”

“Um, thanks, and thanks to your mate as well, for her consideration. Tell me, please, what is my lady’s name? I keep calling this thing I have “the presence”, but that hardly seems right.”

“Hmm, well, her name is very long, and not quite pronounceable in English. It means something like the rain sweeping across the grassy plains on a hot summer day. Hosts before you have called her simply Rain. She seems pleased with that.”

“Thank you. And I suppose until I remember my name you will need something to call me besides Rain’s host.” He smiled indulgently at her while she thought for a minute. “Can we just call me Summer Rain? I mean, until we know differently?”

He dropped to one knee before her, holding her hand. “Summer Rain? You embrace your lady’s name as your own! We have been waiting a long time for a host like you for your lady. She is like a leader among us, and has long been without a host, unable to fight with us effectively. You do us much honor, Summer Rain.” And he bowed his head over her hand. Uneasy with such adulation, she pulled her hand free. “Yeah, well, I just want to take my planet back and stop the screams. Please, the honor is mine.”

He was misty-eyed as he looked up at her. Just wait till he told his mate and the others. They would be very pleased. He stood, and then nodded at her. “Very well, then. The next couple of days will be the hardest mentally, and then the physical training will begin. It will just be you and her, working together until you need not ask her for anything, the knowledge will come to you as though it were yours. You will, in essence, become her and she you, working together as one entity. Your body must meet the rigors, though, so she will have you working out to strengthen your muscles and harden your stamina. I will be back every couple of days to check on you for a while, then I will only visit you if you call for me. I will show you how to do that on my way out. You will be locked in, but only for your security. There are not that many of us in this part of the system.”

He showed her the communications mechanism on his way out the door and how to contact him directly. “Oh, one last thing. The test for me to know that the training is complete will be when you can find me without your body and have a conversation with me about memories of the Summer Palace.” Again, he smiled, gave a low bow, and left, the locks clicking behind him.

The next few days were hard, more difficult for her than anything she had ever done in her life. The Joining of two very strong personalities was by no means even close to an easy ride. Despite her best efforts, her mind balked at giving way, even compromises that made sense were argued about on a sub-conscious level with such voracity it made her head ache. Who knew getting a roommate was going to be so stressful? Of course, this partnership could very well be for life, so they had best get all the kinks worked out now. Slowly but surely, though, the negotiations were starting to work out and space was made where it was needed and where things seemed to fit the best. After much discussion, she decided that she would become like the Phoenix and rise from the ashes of her former life. Much of the day to day life memories she sacrificed, as well as her name. She still did not know what it had been, but from here on out, she was Summer Rain, and that was fine with her. On one of his visits she had asked the good Doctor, who she now knew as Dark Water, if she needed or would need ID with her new name. Dark’s name meant something like water trickling over dark stones in a stream in mid-summer. He told her it would be taken care of, but for now she would not be going anywhere, so stop worrying about inane things already. Sigh. She did, however, retain all of her medical training. It seemed to her that keeping that type of information just made good sense.

Finally, the night came when she was able to contact Dark without her body and had a nostalgic conversation about the Summer Palace, a wonderful place on another world and in another time, where they had lived in harmony with each other and their planet. Apparently, the rest of the universe wasn’t happy with this. Up until that time, they were a peaceful race, against violence of all kinds, but one pivotal moment in time convinced them that the cause was too great to stand aside and let others destroy what they had so carefully wrought. Unfortunately for that world, it was too late. Homeless, without corporeal form, they drifted through time and space until they heard the cries from the earth.

They arrived on this planet back a few thousand years ago. Ironically, it was about the same time as a certain religious book described angels coming down from heaven and laying with women and having children with them. Yeah, well, that was so not the story. Rumors, legend and propaganda totally twisted that one until it was hardly recognizable as even being a second cousin to the truth.

Back in her quarters, she used every available moment training in the arts that Rain had learned over her many lifetimes. The knowledge was there, she just had to get her body trained to the forms. So many movements, so little time. She was anxious, also. Last time she had spoken to Dark, he had told her that they had found a few candidates as hosts for her mates. Although they lived in her head, they rarely spoke to her while she was going through the Joining. Since that time she had had many opportunities to get to know them, and lately she could feel how much they wanted to take part in her activities. How much they wanted to feel flesh and pleasure again. She would meet them soon. Dark had not told her how, just that they would be introduced to her in ways that she would have no doubts that they were her mates. She could hardly wait. She liked surprises.


	4. Chapter Three

After three months of building herself back up and slowly but irrevocably going stir crazy, using the gym to push herself out of boredom, she was awoken one morning to the sound of a drill sergeant commanding her to attention. In her face. Three months of only hearing the sounds of her own or Rain’s voice in her head, Dark’s soft tones, and the sounds of gym equipment being used, all wrapped up in her slowly losing control, added to this man who dared yell in her face, and she danced off the edge into temporary madness. Coming off the bed in one smooth move, she had the guy by the throat and shoved against the wall with her other hand clawed into his groin, twisting, her face a snarling mask staring at him eye to eye. He froze, not daring to move, as he saw his fate in her red-hazed glare. At that moment, he knew she wasn’t even remotely human in her thoughts.

Due to the man’s instinct to remain perfectly still, it was only moments before the haze began to fade, and she came back to herself, blinking slowly, realization dawning on her intelligent face as she recognized where she was and what she was doing. She dropped her hands away from the man, stepped back slowly until her back was against the opposite wall, and tried to remember to breathe.

WTF had just happened to her? Rain’s voice in her head assured her that this was normal, but sheesh, she had almost twisted the guy’s balls off, and if the clamor from the back of her head meant anything, she was pretty darn sure that she was going to have to use that equipment someday. Gray, one of her mates, was almost positive that this was his host. Gray’s name meant something like gray storm clouds massing across the sky as the dawn breaks, and he seemed to be the more passionate and forceful of her mates. She needed to do something with her hands. Besides strangle strange men in her bedroom.

After adjusting his poor assaulted nether regions and massaging his throat, the man pushed himself away from the wall and stepped into the kitchenette and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridgie. After taking a few sips, he was able to swallow normally again, but knew his voice would be rough for a few days. As for the other parts of him, well, that might take longer. He smiled grudgingly. It wasn’t often that he was taken by surprise, and no one had expected the short stocky woman to be so strong. Or so fast. He wouldn’t be making that mistake again.

The sounds of the weight machine had him drifting back into the room to step into the doorway of the gym. When he saw the distracted look in her eyes and the methodical way she was pumping iron, he went out again, grabbed a towel from the bathroom and a bottle of water from the fridgie, sat down gingerly at the table and leaned back to wait.

Summer was aware of the man, the presence allowed her to be two places at once, and with the meditative work of the weights, she slipped into a trance and his thoughts. Tripping lightly through his mind, she looked for the things that made the man who he was, not his experiences, but the things that were so deeply ingrained into his psyche that no amount of memory loss would change. Satisfied with her findings, she started to slip out again, when something caught her eye. As much as she wanted to get to know this man the old human talking way, Rain insisted that she look at this. The man was ex-military, and had been as loyal to his government as possible, until the world had gone to hell and his entire family was killed in the prairie fires. Although she understood his emotion, revenge was not the best trait for what they needed. The man needed to be fueled by something other than pain. Perhaps time would tell.

A full forty-five minutes later he heard the bar of the machine she was on clank down in its cradle, then silence. He looked up as she stepped into the doorway. Sweat glistened on her face, dripped down her neck and her short spiky hair twinkled with moisture under the lights. He tossed her the towel, which she caught in the air and wiped down her face and neck, arms and hair. She sat down at the other chair at the table and he slid the bottle over to her. As she quenched her thirst, he caught himself staring at her throat as she swallowed and wondered what she would taste like if he licked her there. He blinked. She put the cap back on the empty bottle and tossed it over her shoulder into the recycling container in the kitchenette, all the while staring at him. “Nothin’ but net,” she said as the bottle went straight into the container. They sat studying one another silently.

He was broader than her first impression of him. He sprawled, leaning with his back pressed against the chair, the slight tension in his body belying his discomfort. His eyes were gray, dark like storm clouds, and his hair, which at first look appeared black, was actually a deep glossy brown, contrasting nicely to the black of his brows and the criminally long and full black lashes. It was hard to tell how tall he was, and she really didn’t remember much of when she was face to snarl with him. Broad shoulders showed the muscle definition through his tight black t-shirt, and his black camo pants tucked into black combat boots were nicely fitted. Without being able to see how well he filled out the back, she was unable to make a complete analysis. All in all, though, he was a rather delectable piece of man candy. Finding herself flushed with more than workout heat, she forced herself to the offensive, and shushed the voices in her head.

“Since I doubt I was kidnapped for my massage expertise, how about you tell me what I am doing here.” She knew why she was here. What she wanted to know was why he thought she was here.

Her voice was low and well modulated, no emotion other than a trace of impatience betrayed her, no tension or heat. She could have been asking about the weather. He was silent for a few moments, studying her. He admired her, what little he had seen. She had been removed from everything she knew and had nothing that was hers, not even her clothing, and yet here she sat, composed, deceptively relaxed. If he had not known better, he would have thought the black tank top and cargo pants were her regular costume. She had taken him by surprise, and even knowing that he might have been able to turn the tables on her if they had wanted her harmed, it would not have been easily done and he would definitely not have gotten away unscathed. Still, he wanted to know.

"Where were you trained to fight like a berserker?”

She did it again. She caught him by surprise. She laughed. A glorious, full-bodied, tears inducing belly laugh. His eyes narrowed in irritation as she made as if she were struggling to stop, tears streaming from her eyes, but one look at his face had her going again. She ended up on the floor, holding her tummy as she finally remembered to breathe again. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked up at him as she lay curled on the floor like a cat. “Your face! Oh, goddess, your face! Priceless!” He stared at her, astonishment mingled with something very close to what could almost be… She sat up slowly, looking intently at his face. “Is that a smile?” He tried to school his face to blankness, but she was having none if it. “It is!” She was suddenly in his face. They stared at each other, her with mischief, he with evil intent. She kissed him, right between the eyes, a nice loud smack, then was quickly gone again, to the gym doorway, where she began to do chin lifts on the bar put in the doorway for that purpose.

He watched her, the muscles bulging in her shoulders and arms, the movements moving her breasts to firmness beneath the tank top. She was wearing a sport bra under the tank top, so he really couldn’t see their definition all that well, but he could see her belly. While not flat or all that particularly muscular, she really was very well built for a woman. He moved without thinking until he was right in front of her, then grabbed her around the waist and swung her around to hold her against the wall. His eyes glittered dangerously at her for a frozen moment of time, then he was kissing her, lip to lip, tasting her skin with his tongue. He felt her lips move into a smile, then she was pushing him away. Her eyes danced with joy as she stared up at him. Gods he was tall!! She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bed, not that he was fighting all that hard. She turned him around and sat him down then straddled his legs, standing over him with her feet spread and looking down at his face, then she was kissing him, and suddenly their world narrowed to lips and tongues and this wonderful sudden heat that swam in and through them like liquid fire. He dragged her down so she was lying across him, and had just begun to pull her shirt up when his earpiece chimed. “Damn, I have to answer this.”

He stood up, depositing her gently on the bed before pressing the release on his earpiece. “Donovan.” He listened for a moment, then sighed. “I’ll be there in ten.” He pressed the release again, then turned to look at her as she sat on the bed. He was suddenly all business. “I have to go. For now. I’ll be back tomorrow. Get some rest. We start your training in the morning.” Then he was striding through the kitchenette and out the door, the compression making the air hiss as it settled in place again. And she was left staring at the door, the feel of his lips still on hers, and the image of his rear imprinted in her brain for all time. Yes, he really was an exceptional piece of man candy. With a sigh, she stripped and stepped into the shower to wash away the sweat of her workout and to try and cool off her libido. And to think about his training tomorrow. Somehow he thought that he was going to train her. Oh, no, my fine friend. This will be your training. She smiled again.

After she ate and washed up the little the kitchenette required, she sat on the pad on the floor and stretched for an hour, then repositioned herself to the bed and assumed the lotus position. Her mind was more difficult to quieten today, with reason. Gray would not shut up. He was positive that Donovan was his host. She thought she had smelled something different about him, but she quieted Gray with the logic that it was best to move forward slowly and be sure than to rush and make a fatal error. Her mates were well aware that an unequal joining could become fatal for both host and symbiont.

Once she found her place, she pushed her senses out and just listened. Patience was a virtue and she had been taught by the best that rods and whips and lashes could teach. The training of a symbiont that had possessed female hosts throughout time had not been an easy one. As she slowly felt herself bond with The One, she became aware of noise, people talking, the sound of footsteps. Her inner eye opened and she was in a long corridor, white tiled floors, sloping white walls, opaque white lights shining from recessed hollows on the floor, ceiling, and walls. There were no shadows. She could not hide here. Her presence slid upward, through the ceiling into the floors above, so many floors, until finally, she was able to see the lights of stars. Her presence felt something and slowly turned around. The moon, The Mother, hanging shining from the sky. She wasn’t full, but goddess, was it good to see her again! She stared at The Mother for a while, not counting time, then began to feel uneasy. Time to head back. Too much time spent away from her host in the early bits and she could be in trouble. She needed to get back to her host soon.

Before she went back, she took a look around, to see where she was. Her jaw dropped. So, this is where they dumped her when they had finished breaking her fingers, the rotten bastards! Desert, as far as she could see, stretched out before her. Her path of least resistance had taken her up through what looked to be a vent, hidden amidst the dunes and scrub. Pitch black, she was unable to see or even feel the wind whipping through the entrance, but she could hear the whispering as wind channeled down into the pocket. Fresh air? Curious, she followed the sounds down into the ground, noting the advanced pulley system on the walls. She concluded that this must be how they kept it safe during the day, by lowering the short towers into the ground to escape exposure. Smart idea, she thought, then felt the smug grin in her head. Really? That was you? The answer was quick in coming. OK, I know, I’m supposed to be thinking like us. That was US. We did that, together. We are the same now. All I have to do is access the memories. So, she did, with barely a thought, and realized the process had been used throughout time on more than one planet. Only these had the added benefits of being mostly below ground and hidden from their enemies. The winds that blew across the desert at night had enough strength to toss a full grown man several feet as it gusted; this process pulled that, sucked in the moisture from desert for drinking water and for hydroponics use, and served a triple purpose of turning turbines set into the darkness. They used the strength of the wind funneling down to power the turbines that created energy to be used all throughout the cave systems, including the lights for the hydroponics.

Well, damn. We are fucking brilliant! She heard a suspicious sounding snort in her head and grinned. She drifted back down and was almost back to her level when something caught her attention. She drifted sideways, and then she smelled him. Her drill sergeant. He was showering, and oh, goddess, what a glorious sight! Twin moons of another design assaulted her visual senses and even from this distance she could feel the dampness between her thighs. From there she traveled down the sturdy trunks of his legs down to his bare feet, then back up again, lingering on those solid cheeks that made her want to sink her teeth into them before moving up to broad shoulders rippling with muscle. He moved to rinse under the hot spray, and her breath caught as she was able to view him in all his glory. His chest was broad like his shoulders and lightly haired, the same glorious brown as his head, with a thick line of fur running straight down his stomach and plunging into dark curls clustered around what had to be the most beautiful cock she had ever seen. Goddess help me, she thought, this man is my kryptonite! She glided forward, entranced by the sight of the water cascading down all that muscled length of him, then reached down to run spirit fingers ghostly over his thickness. She saw him shiver, as his heaviness hardened almost painfully. Donovan reached down to rub his erection, eyes wide as he realized that his member no longer pained him.

Summer smiled again, like a cat finding the cream. Then her host called, and she slid through reality to her quarters to rejoin that which had been freely offered. Rain was awed at her audacity. No Rain, that’s our audacity, she smirked at her impudently. Wait, am I actually smart mouthing myself? Well, she sighed, I always knew I wasn’t far from the edge of reality. And grinned again at the cold chill she got. Hard to turn a cold shoulder from an inside out snub. Well, technically, she had lost part of her mind, memories at any rate. She grinned again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are welcomed. Just something to let me know that you have enjoyed the story so far and look forward to future chapters.


	5. Chapter Four

After a brief rest and some water, and she ascertained that enough time had passed, arranged herself comfortably on the bed, posed for rest, then with deep even breaths she rose again to The One. She was not taking herself completely this time, only enough of her consciousness to blend with another’s. She found his quarters again, and caught her breath at the sight of him sprawled naked beneath the thin sheet. His chest rose and fell rhythmically as she watched him. My, but he was magnificent! Her mates clamored for attention and she listened, sliding her awareness gently into his head. Her purpose here was to create a steady tension in the man, to keep him off his stride, to let other emotions drive him other than revenge. The next few days would be the tell, if he was to become Gray’s host.

She let her mates loose inside his mind, sensual and erotic movies playing in his head like dreams, wildly passionate, and she watched it all with a fond smile. While her mates may not have had corporeal bodies for a long time, there was absolutely nothing wrong with their memories. Her drill sergeant moaned and squirmed in his sleep, his hand coming up to grip his cock tightly. The scenes in his head, those of two men and one woman, and all the many sexual options for an equal triad wound his passion tighter and tighter until with a loud groan he burst over his hand, jets of fluid spraying under the sheet. She and her mates eased out of his mind as he woke with a start, sitting up to stare down at his hand still gripping his now dripping meat. She savored the look of passion and confusion mingled on his face, then slid silently back to her host.

She awoke early, wanting to be on her feet and moving before her drill sergeant was there. She cast her awareness out into the hall and began her morning warm-up. She stretched, ran on the treadmill for a half hour, then stretched again, and began her own version of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, listening to the music in her head as she moved to the rhythms of the forms. She was using a combination of ch’üan and tui shou to push her breathing and muscles to their maximum potential. She was deep into the meditation of the forms when her awareness picked up an intrusion. He was at the door. She let the awareness wash over her, that he was alone, then fell back into the routine. This was a place she felt completely at ease and where she knew she had power. She would finish; he could wait.

Donovan let himself quietly into the room, glanced through to the bedroom to see everything neat and tidy then moved over to stand in the doorway of the gym. She was deep into what he recognized as Tai-chi, but combining elements that were, again, a surprise. He leaned against the doorway to wait for her to finish. Watching her was like watching poetry in motion, every movement efficient and powerful, every move she made designed to bring fighting muscles into play. It was a sensual deadly dance, and reminded him with a flush, of his vivid dreams the night before. Faceless forms gyrating in that age old mating dance, three instead of the usual two, but somehow so complete it felt right. And when he woke, breathing heavily, to find his cock in his hand and cum still hot on his body, he very nearly came again. Thinking about it made him swell again, just watching her. This dance, this woman, she made him feel things, things he just didn’t think he was ready to feel.

She finished, her head down, breathing only slightly heavier than normal, her back facing him. She took a moment to see him with her mind’s eye, memories of the night before, flushed and wanton on the bed as his body had writhed in need from the images being filtered through his brain by her mates. She was happy to see a hint of shadow under his eyes, the only thing showing how off kilter he really was. Oh, and the hardening of a certain piece of anatomy. Let’s see where he stood after nights of this.

He wasn’t sure how, but he knew that she was aware of his presence. Her quiet voice sounded in the room. “Sleep well?” She turned to face him, her head tilting slightly to the side, sly smile changing her features to sharp elfin points. Her hair, when she had first been brought in, had been punked out spikes of bleach blond hair with hints of pink and blue at the tips. It was longer now, three months worth longer, yet still managed to maintain an almost anime flavor, spiky still despite the length. And the pink and blue were still at the tips, the color not seeming to have faded at all, her base color of a dark brown was glossy and rich. Instead of answering her, he stepped towards the mat and flicked his fingers towards her. Immediately, she assumed a fighting stance, and they began to circle each other, watching each other’s steps and movements with intense concentration. She stopped moving, and straightened slightly, using her awareness to lightly probe him, and in so doing, she knew he was moving towards her a split second before he acted. She moved just ahead of him, and he blinked when she wasn’t there. He steadied, a determined look on his face as he studied her own, expressionless and flat; she looked not at him, but almost through him. Irritation flashed through him; her eyes weren’t even focused! He moved, and again, she moved just before him. They stepped through moves, faster and faster, going through the movements of the forms with speed and stamina, a light sheen of sweat appearing on them. He looked at her face and the look of pure joy that radiated from her and he realized that she was enjoying this dance. And then the realization hit him: he was enjoying it too. Huh. But something told him she was holding back.

Her awareness alerted her to the approach of another presence to the suite. She felt a maleness step inside, slide through the kitchenette and step just to the side of the gym doorway. In seconds, she had slipped around Donovan and grabbed the man by the throat and had him up against the wall, much like her drill sergeant the day before, minus the red-hazed madness and talons.

Donovan stepped up behind her. “It’s alright. He’s with me.” She released him, letting him slide down the wall as he massaged his throat. Donovan stepped into the kitchenette and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridgie and brought it back to the man. After taking a few sips and coughing a couple of times, the man glared at Donovan. “You could have freaking warned me.”

“Ha! Just be glad that’s all you got. You think I am unscathed from yesterday? I assure you not. Besides, it was worth it to see the look on your face.” He grinned shamelessly at his friend.

She had stepped back after releasing the man, but continued watching him intently as he recovered. Other than coloring differences, the two men before her could have been brothers. Her drill sergeant was slightly taller and broader, but the same muscle definition defined the man’s clothing. He was blond haired and blue eyed, with a golden tan, and although she was again not in a position to complete her analysis, here stood another delectable piece of man candy. It must be her birthday. She smiled, the smile of a wolf with a fat juicy rabbit (or two!) in her sights. Her mates agreed.

She stepped forward, into the man’s personal space, and sniffed, a long inhalation of information going straight to her brain. Oh, my! She looked up at him with new eyes. This was going to be fun! Sky, her other mate, was rejoicing; it was hard to not completely dissolve into laughter. She smiled instead, then darted in to kiss the man’s cheek, then backed away again, only to turn to Donovan and repeat the process, inhaling information about him rapidly, then a smile and a kiss on the cheek. She stepped back again, to lean against the wall with a smirk. She had found no hidden agenda in this new man, no passions rules by revenge or other dark emotions. And who he was, well, now she knew.

The men had frozen while she did her olfactory examination, but now looked at each other with brows raised, then at her. She cocked her head at them, then blew their minds when she asked them “So, which one of you boys is going to kiss me first?” She quirked a brow, then added “Or maybe you’ll just kiss each other first?” With that she moved past them, sliding her fingers across rock hard abs and grinning as she heard their dual exclamations of indrawn breath, and into the bathroom, dropping clothing as she started the shower. She looked back once, to get the view to complete her analysis of her drill sergeant’s lover, and oh, boy! was she in for trouble. She stepped into the shower closing the shower curtain with a predatory grin.

You could have heard a pin drop in the silence as she left the other room, and the men stared at each other in complete astonishment. How had she known? That was the question paramount in their minds. She grinned, knowing they would not stay today, but also aware of the seed she had planted. The presence alerted her to the other man’s departure and she could hear the uneasy moving of Donovan in the kitchenette. His lover had apparently brought her groceries this time and her drill sergeant was putting them away for her. How wonderfully domestic! Gray announced that he liked to cook, and he also cleaned up his messes, which only made her love him more and long to be able to show him. Soon, she told them all, soon, they would know. She finished her shower and stepped out to towel off, leaving the towel hanging in the bathroom as she stepped into the kitchenette in all her glory, a knowing smile on her face.

Donovan froze, staring at her, or rather, at her body, and she could feel his heart race and his blood pump through his veins. She liked that she was able to turn him on so much. It would mean a good Joining, and Gray would be so proud to be hosted by him. Gray made her blush, the way he talked about the man. Like he would tackle him to the bed himself if he had the body to do it with. She giggled at him in her head and asked if they needed to worry about him having a relationship with himself once he was hosted. Gray did not find the humor, but she felt Rain smiling. Sky spoke up and made a comment about not letting Gray be alone long enough for that to happen, with a strange huskiness she had not heard from him before. Sky and Gray missed loving each other as much as they missed loving Rain. She smiled at Donovan again before walking into the bedroom to dress.

Donovan waited for her in the kitchenette, but she was aware of him opening and closing his mouth, trying to come up with the words to ask her something. She knew what, so she took pity on him. “Just ask whatever you want to ask, Donovan, I’m sure I won’t melt into a puddle from a question.” She giggled. It was really too funny how the man could look like a fish out of water. She stepped back into the room dressed only in cargo pants and sport bra and stepped past him to grab a bottle of water out of the fridgie.

“How did you know?”

“About you two, you mean? Or that you wanted to ask me a question?”

“Erm, both, actually.”

“To the first question: I could smell you on each other. As to the second question: isn’t it obvious? I can read your mind.” And she waggled her brows at him, to which he laughed.

“OK, keep your secrets for now. I have to go again, but real soon we need to talk about this, as well as that sparring match we had earlier.”

“Rematch?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s been a long time since I enjoyed sparring with someone other than Jake. And we know each other’s moves so it’s not as much fun anymore.”

“It was fun! I would enjoy sparring with you again. On and off the mat.” She smirked and he laughed, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before leaving again. She watched him leave, with pleasure, and smiled again at the internal comments from her mates. They enjoyed watching him leave as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I invite comments, kudos, questions, etc.


	6. Chapter Five

She ate, cleaned up, stretched, and got comfortable on the bed, readying herself for meditation. Soon, she was soaring to The One, moving to Donovan’s rooms to create a repeat performance of the night before. She smiled in sly satisfaction to see both men in his bed, naked, wrapped around each other with the thin sheet for covering. She slipped into both their minds, giving the go ahead to her mates to send the images again, just like the night before, only this time, she used their own fantasies against them, and gave the men their own faces and the woman’s face became hers.

Together, the men moaned, starting to move in the bed as their passions were aroused. They gripped each other where before they had been holding each other gently while sleeping, hands becoming hot as their breathing started to deepen. Still sleeping, they embraced and started rubbing their engorged cocks together, increasing speed as the images and sensations became more intense. Two sets of firm male lips pressed together, tongues tangling, as they brought each other to climax, ropes of cum spurting on each other, covering their chests and bellies with the viscous fluid. They came awake, still kissing, both startled, still flushed from their exertions, their bodies still rubbing together unconsciously with after shocks.

They broke the kiss to stare at each other for a moment. Jake broke the silence first.

“Well, that was different.” His eyes narrowed as Donovan looked away. “What? Don’t tell me that’s happened to you before.”

“Last night. There were these dreams, images, so intense and sensual. I woke up with my cock in my hand, cum all over the place.”

“So that’s why there were clean sheets on the bed! Tell me, what kind of dreams? What did you see?”

Donovan stared at him for a moment. “What did you dream about?”

Jake blushed. “So many things, and it was all things that we were doing together, and with Summer. Vivid dreams, like I’ve never had before. I never knew it could be that way between three people. And man, looking at all this cum, it looks like you had the same dreams. What does this mean?”

“I don’t know, love, but I think we should stop talking for now.” And Donovan bent his head back to Jake’s lips, and their lips met, hot and wet, their bodies slick together. Mere minutes of this had them both throbbing, their earlier completion forgotten amidst this new passion. Donovan kissed Jake hard and fast, then was between his legs in one smooth move. He wiped at the cooling cream layering his chest and belly and coated his cock in it, then did the same to his lover’s meat. Pressing slowly into his heat, they both moaned, then as soon as he was seated completely, he began to pound into Jake, the lube on their bodies rubbing the other man’s thickness between them, until they both exploded amidst groans and moans, jerking together as they came, Donovan’s hot seed in his rectum pushing Jake over the edge, his evidence of their passionate coupling adding to that already dripping on them and the bed.

Donovan knelt, still connected to Jake, with his brow resting gently on the other man’s as they caught their breath. He pulled out gently, causing his lover to moan again, then smacked him on the ass.

“Come on, let’s go take a shower.”

Summer grinned as she and her mates faded away, moving back towards her quarters and her willing host.

The next few days proved interesting, as she got to know them both, between sparring and visiting their dreams. Gray was adamant that Donovan was his host, and, despite her reservations about the root of his passions, she was beginning to believe as well. None of them had any reservations about Jake. The man was quiet strength personified, the harbor amidst the storm, and they were all falling in love with him and his subtly submissive ways. And he danced the forms like he had the world at his fingers. She adored dancing the forms with him; his speed and precision was, for a human, absolutely flawless.

She kept their dreams interesting and entertaining. One night, about a week after their shared dreams had begun, and they were catching their breath, she was gratified to hear this conversation:

“Dammit Donovan, I love you and this is the hottest sex ever…”

“But”, Donovan prompted his lover.

“But, I really want her in our bed. I’m not sure how much longer I can take her stripping down in front of us to take a shower before I crack.”

“I know, love. It’s like an obsession. I need to feel something more. Something we’re not getting from each other.”

Summer Rain knew that it was time. She made her way to the sky again, to contemplate the wisdom of introducing the two men to her mates, going over every possible scenario for flaws. Exhaustively. Finally, Summer called a halt to Rain’s unceasing evaluations. It was enough. Either they did this or they didn’t. No more waiting. In for a penny, in for a pound, all or nothing. To take the sting out of her words, she took them to that place, where they could interact with each other still, and held Rain in her arms as a sister-friend would, with love and acceptance and compassion. Rain reluctantly relented, and finally hugged her back.

As she was relaxing and making her way to her place, she became aware of someone in the hall. The presence did not recognize him, and since she had already met the two men Dark said he would send, she was wary. She tried to get a feel for his essence and came away oily. This was not someone trustworthy. As a matter of fact, she did not think that he was even authorized to be in this part of the complex. She maintained her meditative pose, reaching out to Dark to alert him to this person breaking into her rooms. He was on his way, and had alerted another of their kind to investigate, but neither would be there for many minutes. Time to put into practice the things we have learned.

She remained perfectly still, composed on the bed in the lotus position, as the man gained entrance to her rooms and came towards her on the bed, stopping just a few feet away from her to gauge if she was really as deep into her meditation as she seemed. He reached out to grab hold of her and that was his mistake. By leaving his midsection unprotected, he assured her success. Her hands flew towards him as she jabbed her fingers into pulse points, and the man froze, then fell to the ground, gasping for breath as he struggled to move. Hmm, paralyzation certainly seemed effective. She resumed the lotus position as she waited for someone to come and take him away.

Dark arrived with two other men, both hosts, who bowed to her before retrieving the man on the floor and hauling him unceremoniously away. Summer saw this with her eyes closed. Dark knelt on the floor before her, gazing reverently up at her. She opened her eyes so he could see them.

“My Lady, please tell me your name.”

She knew he meant more than what she had asked him to call her, more than the name that she and Rain had agreed would be hers forever more. Dark was asking who she was, what she was, and more importantly, what role she had decided to play. She stared back at him, pausing at this pivotal moment to increase the tension, to make what she was about to say have more import.

“I am Summer Rain, leader of the Ninth House of the Elder Stars, Warrior of the Elite, bound for all eternity to fight for the rights and justice of those who cannot hope to win alone. And you, Dark Water, and all that you posses and love, are bound to me as vassals to that end. How do you reply?” As she spoke, something coalesced in the air, a thickening of energy as she spoke the ritual words. She had reached out to grip Dark’s shoulder as she spoke, and when the energy washed over them, he shivered. Dark’s eyes glowed, tears of joy and pride glistened on his face as he rose to his feet and bowed very deeply.

“My Lady, I am honored and gladdened to once again be in service to my Warrior Queen. And My Lady Summer, you do us much honor by serving as her host. This will be the last time that I refer to you in that manner, but I wanted so much to tell you thank you. Summer Rain, the Ninth House stands ready for your orders. The other loyal Houses are represented here, as well, and we ask, as soon as you are ready, to meet with us so that we may debrief you on recent events.”

“Is the morning in a week too early to assemble?”

“No, my Lady, I will send word at once. By your leave?”

Summer Rain, Warrior Queen to the Ninth and assorted loyal Houses, placed her hand to his cheek and caressed his face ever so gently. She smiled, the kind of smile that men had fought and died for throughout history, and he knew without question that his Queen was here again. He would follow her into hell. And knowing his Lady, she would be the one to get them all back out again.

“You may go. Thank you for your steadfast loyalty, Dark. Fear not, you will once again be the Darkness beneath my blade.”

Dark flushed in that singularly human way, bowed low again, then left the room. Summer sighed. As much as she knew it needed to be done, that she needed to once again lead them in their fight for all that was right and good, she longed for the days from before, when they were innocent and naive, playing in a land that was far far away, and long gone. Thinking about those days and what was lost, her resolve gradually strengthened until she felt in her heart that she was once again on the right path. Remembering the world that she had grown up in as a human, the struggles each of her host’s had gone through for this battle, and she knew she could not let it be in vain. Her eyes flashed crimson and blue; in that singular moment in time, Summer and Rain became one entity. Summer Rain had completed her Joining, in a way more complete than any Joining she had ever had. Never had she achieved such synchronicity. It was time to introduce her mates to their hosts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I invite comments, kudos, questions, etc. Your appreciation and interest helps me write.


	7. Chapter Six

Settling herself back into her position on the bed, she achieved The One with a quickness that surprised even her. She contacted Dark to let him know what she intended, then sent herself to Donovan’s rooms again. This was becoming a habit. His rooms were dark, but she could easily make out the sleeping forms of him and his lover; soon to be her lovers. Her mates were eager, and she had to caution them not to be over enthusiastic. They were still not sure if more than revenge would take precedence in Donovan’s life. His passion must be primal, basic, and revenge was a sophisticated passion. Her drill sergeant had lived with this deadness inside him for so long that he had begun to sense the hopelessness of his own existence. Jake had brought some light to his world and had kept the monsters and zombies at bay in his mind, but until he let go of the past, there would always be that darkness about him. Summer was intent on being just that for him; the light of the summer, when the dark nights were short and the light reigned supreme. She had learned a long time ago that when you had someone to share the darkness with you, it lost its power.

Gently, ever so gently, she took first Jake and then Donovan into that space between time, that place that is nowhere and everywhere, and gently woke them. She had Joined completely with her host, and took on her host’s physical attributes, knowing the men would find this familiarity more comfortable. Here in this between place, where life decisions were made, there was no room for singular passions. Here she must appeal to that greater good in them, the single most impressive thing that humans had been doing since their beginnings: the sacrifice of self for the betterment of the many. She had watched time and again over the years as her hosts and people she had met had, one after the other, given selflessly of themselves to help others. So, she scaled back her sensuality, opting for goodness to have the most weight in their encounter.

She sat back on her heels between them as they woke, realized they were no longer in Donovan’s bed and scrambled back from her. She smiled gently. “Please do not be alarmed. No one here will harm you. I know you are wondering where we are. It is a place between time. I know that you have questions, and I ask that you have patience while I explain.” She gave a frustrated sigh. “There is not time to explain to you in words. It will be easier to show you. If you would allow me to touch you?” She held out her hands to them.

They looked at each other in silence. Donovan shrugged first and gave Summer his hand, with Jake following right behind him.

“This is easier if you close your eyes.” They complied, then jerked as images began flooding their minds. Images of her people in the past, from the destruction of their home world to their arrival on this planet, from their first hosts and how they watched the civilizations begin to destroy themselves and their world, from the first realization that not all of their kind wanted to help, but some to destroy, to their current times and a belief that the fight was soon at its culmination. Centuries of time flashed before them in a matter of moments, as with growing horror they realized how close to the brink of extermination the populace of the planet had brought themselves. As they sat, breathing heavily as adrenalin surged through them, she released their hands. It was time to decide. She stood.

“Donovan, when I first met you, I examined your reasons for existing. I had to, to know if you were right for what we need. I know what happened to your family, I know very well the reasons for the feelings of revenge you feel in your heart. What I do not know, and what you must decide, is if that is the passion that will take precedence in your life, if that is what will continue to drive you. Will love of others and love of this planet, be allowed to supercede that emotion? Only you can make that decision.” She turned to Jake. “And you, my dear Jake, you are everything that we could wish for in a host; happy at small things, joyful in others’ successes, and brimming with love for those close to you, as well as a healthy respect for your world. I hope that you make the decision that is best for you.” She turned to include Donovan, “We need people like you in this battle. Not only for myself, but your skills and hearts are what we believe will finally turn the tide in this battle. I will leave you now, but only for a short time, so that you might listen to your hearts and make the choice that will serve for your future.” With that, she melted away, leaving them staring at nothing and then each other.

Time passed strangely in that place, as they argued their choices back and forth for what could have been hours. Finally, Jake looked at Donovan. “Look man, you know I love you just as you are. I have never asked for you to be anything different. All I want is for you to be happy. Damn, but Summer knew things, things I didn’t even really know about myself. I know that you have some bad memories, but what Summer is asking us for is not to forget the past, but to be a part of making the future better.”

Donovan ran his hand through his hair, something he did a lot when he was stressed or working out a problem. He turned, walked a few steps, then came back to stand before his lover. He sighed, lifting a hand to caress Jake’s cheek.

“I love you so much. I think I just don’t want to lose who I am, who you are, these two people that came together out of nothing. If we accept, will we forget where we came from? I can’t ever forget them Jake. It would seem like such a betrayal of their lives, of the thing that has kept me going all these years. Their memories are precious to me. I just, I just can’t forget.” He stared into Jake’s eyes, begging him to understand, hoping he would realize that his past had nothing to do with his love for the man, in the here and now. Jake, who understood him better than he knew himself, just smiled gently.

“Ah love, I know. I don’t want you to forget them either. But ask yourself, what would your wife and children want you to do, if you could speak to them now? What would they tell you was the best course for you?”

“Dammit Jake, you know what they would say. They would want me to be happy, not just for me, but for those around me.”

“Exactly! And Summer is giving us this chance. Somehow I don’t think there’s gonna be another chance, much less that we would remember this one if we turned her down.”

“What do you mean, ‘we’? You have been accepted. Summer said you don’t have any emotional hangups like me.”

“Ah Donovan, my love, don’t you get it? Where you go, I go. I feel that I could love Summer, that I could become very close to her, that she could become very important to me, but I don’t want to do this without you. I can’t do this without you. I won’t do this without you. Whatever you decide, I am with you.”

Donovan could feel the heaviness in his chest lighten, and suddenly he felt free, like he had not felt in a very long time. Jake always seemed to know what to say to make things right for him. He thought about the opportunity Summer had shown them, that they could become something more, something strong enough to make a difference. He thought he had joined this paramilitary group as a means of revenge, but he would not have joined just any group. There had to be a basis of belief, something that he could work for, that he believed in. He turned back to Jake.

“Are you sure?” he began, but Jake stepped up to him, looked deep into his eyes and said, “As long as you are happy, I have never been more sure.” Donovan took him in arms and kissed him hard and passionately, the kiss going on long enough that both men were gasping for air as they broke the kiss.

Jake looked over his shoulder and his eyes shot open in wonder. As his lover turned to see, Jake gazed at the sight before him. Summer was there, in all her glowing wonder, wings and all, and with her, two angelically beautiful men. His groin tightened at the sight of the three, and from Donovan’s quick intake of breath, he was having much the same response.

Summer smiled knowingly, “Let me introduce you to my mates, Gray and Sky. If you agree, they will become you, and you, them. The time has come. I would not normally rush you, but we have very little time, and if you agree, you must still have adequate Joining time. Have you decided? Whether to go boldly forth and fight for a brave new world, or to go back to your lives, as they were, with no memories of the differences you could have made?”

Before they could answer, she slyly she added, “Or the love you could have had? Oh, yes, my friends, my mates and I have been bound together for a millenia of your lifetimes; bound by choice. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Do you think, in all your love, human and short-lived as your lives are, that you could begin to approach what we feel for each other? Summer, whose face you see on me now, is still in wonder at the depth of our passions, and she and I have Joined in completeness. So tell me, gentlemen, what have you decided?”

The men looked at each other, neither understanding how they could feel any more for each other than what they already felt. But, to feel that same way for thousands of years, each passing year falling deeper and deeper into that kind of commitment? To have that kind of synchronicity, to ‘know’ each other that well, and still be madly in love and lust, well, that would be a fantasy come true. And they could help save the world doing it! Win-win. Jake didn’t know about Donovan, but to him, it sounded like heaven.

Donovan heard his small sigh and knew where it was coming from. He turned to Summer Rain, to the wondrously magnificent creatures who wanted to inhabit their bodies, who had chosen them to be their hosts, to become one with them. Out of all of humankind, they wanted them, out of all the men on earth, they were chosen to help save the world. It was a humbling experience. And suddenly Donovan knew, come what may, it would all be worth it. He turned to Jake as his best friend and lover turned to him, they smiled at each other, then looked at Summer and their future.

“What do we need to do?” Summer’s smile was so radiant that they blinked at the sudden exposure, mirrored by the twin suns behind her. “I will be honest with you. There will be some pain. Two personalities occupying the same corporeal space can be confusing. You may not have all of your memories when you first wake up. Do not be alarmed, these will return to you. You will be restrained to quarters for the next few weeks to give you time to integrate, and you will know when it is time to take the next step. My loves?”

And then Gray stepped toward Donovan and Sky towards Jake, and they embraced as long lost lovers. Jake felt his world was spiraling down to nothing until he knew no more. Donovan felt as though he balanced on the edge of some precipice, where he could either fall to his doom, or he could fight for everything at that one moment in time. He understood on a purely cerebral level that Gray was giving him one last chance to back out, one last chance to remain as he was, to be a coward. Donovan mentally shook himself, lifted his chin with pride, and followed his lover into arms of lightness and then he knew nothing for a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, kudos and comments are welcome!


	8. Chapter Seven

Summer Rain smiled sadly into the darkness of that place, feeling suddenly bereft without her mates in her head, their friendly chatter now removed from her internal hearing. She knew that soon she would be able to see them again, speak to them and feel them, flesh to flesh, but for now, she needed to adjust to just being her inside her head. She smiled again, this time with a certain grim satisfaction. She knew the hosts for her mates had been chosen well, and that Donovan’s internal struggle and eventual success over himself was to his merit; it made him that much stronger. Gray needed a strong host. Of her mates, he was the alpha, standing down to no one but herself. Although Jake was not a small man, he was definitely the beta in his and Donovan’s relationship, and Sky needed that strong masculine lead. They were ideally suited to each other. Rain was their leader in all things, and both took their cues from her, as it had always been and as far as they were concerned would always be, but it wasn't a monarchy. She listened to them and used their wisdom to make the tough choices that affected so many others, and now there would be twice the minds to make those decisions. The time had come, and soon, when all the wisdom in the world may not be enough to counter the forces against them. She had little doubt that they would prevail; what the world would look like when they were done, well, there was another story. She liked having a body, she loved the way Summer’s mind worked with hers. And she positively adored the way it felt to touch the skin of her mates’ hosts. She didn't want to lose this. She didn't want any of them to lose this. She was determined to find a way to fight the rogues for possession of the planet, while making sure it was not a hollow victory. She shuddered as she felt the pull of her body, and faded back into time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Donovan woke with a gasp, sitting up instantly, fighting through the dizzy spell to look around him. He was no longer in his quarters. This was a convalescent room, for someone who had been sick or injured. He didn't remember either occurring to him, at least not for years. Why was he here? He couldn't seem to remember anything clearly. A head injury? A close examination of his head did not give him any clues, only made him more confused. His head felt fine, no new indentations and certainly no soreness to indicate head trauma. His dizzy spell seemed to have just been from sitting up too fast after having been laying down for a long while. As a matter of fact, he actually felt pretty damn good. He stood, standing tall in his bare feet on the cool tile floor. He took a step. Now he knew he felt too good. His knee, injured years ago during an emergency jump that ended badly, had no pain. None. This was too weird. He looked down to examine his knee and realized that he was nude. Not something he would normally worry about in his own quarters, but he had to wonder who had seen him like this, and again, why?

Donovan was so deep into introspection of his lack of pain and trying to rack his brain to remember why he was where he was that he did not hear the door click open behind him. Dark watched him from the doorway for a moment, saw the strain of thought in the furrow on his forehead, the tension in his body, but he also saw, overlaid upon the man, the lightness of the one called Gray, who had been, to him, a leader among men, the best and most ferocious in battle of all of Rain’s commanders. As much as he loved Rain, as devoted as he was to her, this man could stir his blood in a way that could only be matched by the fire he felt for his mate. He looked his fill, then mentally sighed and girded his loins, felt that iron control slip onto and over him. This man was still very fragile, still had a long way to go before he and Gray became one, and right now, he needed Dark’s help. He would be confused and disoriented. Compassion was something Dark felt easy feeling for this man, this brave soul that had accepted to become a host, and a host to Gray, at that. Rain was a powerful leader, but she took her strength from her mates. It would take a strong host with a powerful personality to stand up to Gray’s aura without losing himself. He was thankful that they had found a man of Donovan’s caliber.

He stepped back out of the door, then banged on it as he walked back in again, giving Donovan ample time to respond. Donovan turned to look at the doctor, the confusion written plain upon his face giving way to recognition.

“Doc! What’s going on? Why am I here?”

“Donovan, my young friend, do not be alarmed. All will be well. You have a bit of memory loss. It is inadvisable for me to conjecture at what caused this, but I have been assured that with time and quiet, all will be revealed to you. Now, here are some clothes. Please put them on and then follow me. My orders are to have you placed in a safe quiet space until you are more yourself. We have new quarters available for you. Please”, he emphasized, as Donovan stood there in silent disbelief.

“I have to stay in a room? And do what? Sit there and play with myself? For how long?” The man had had enough. He wanted, no, needed answers, desperately. He wanted to trust the medical man who had never given him a reason to distrust him, but Donovan gave his trust sparingly and with few people. As a matter of fact, the last person he had given his trust to, was…”I can’t remember”, he whispered, his darting eyes and pinched face showing his tenuous hold on his panic.

Watching, Dark felt for the man, usually so in control, as he labored to remember things that should have been in the forefront of his mind. He saw the panic, the desperation, as he struggled to maintain some semblance of control. After all, he had been here, not that long ago, himself. This would be the defining point of Donovan and Gray melding, if Donovan would accept the succor that Gray would offer, to let his symbiont calm him, then there was hope. If he did not, then it would be a rocky road, and success only a possibility. Failure would mean the death of them both, but telling him that at this point in time would only increase his stress. He had to remember, first, before the Joining could begin. No one dared preempt that process. There were too few of them left. Most of them knew that this Joining would be their last. It had just gotten too difficult to combine their life force with another only to lose that part of themselves when the host inevitably passed on.

He had gotten lucky, and found his host after he had been thrown into the desert, a fresh young doctor who had not been allowed to practice what he thought was right. Caught administering illegal birth control to women used as sex slaves, there was no trial. There was only the administration signature on his death order, a trip up in a military helicopter, and he was dropped into the desert, breaking both legs on impact. He was left without medical assistance, food or water. As he lay dying in the hot sand, the thought that seared through him hotter than any fire, was the wish that he could live to do something, anything, to help people. His oath, as hypocritical as it ended up being, was something he had believed in, something he could hold onto in a world gone crazy. Dark had found him, took him to that place with Rain’s help, and requested him to help by becoming Dark’s host. Rain had been non-corporeal for many years at that point, and was always close by when you needed her. The young doctor had jumped at the chance to be able to help, and he and Dark were soon Joined. His Joining had been easier, because both had been willing and eager, both looking to further the greater cause.

This was not the case with Donovan. He knew the man had his own demons, had been driven by thoughts of revenge. In a lesser man the things he had witnessed and gone through would most likely have ended badly. Donovan was so much stronger; almost to his detriment. Compromise is what made a successful Joining. Without it, well, he wouldn't think about that right now. He could only watch as Donovan fought with himself, fought the strange calm that was attempting to wash over him. He heard the man muttering to himself, incomprehensible half-syllables. He focused, saw the struggle lining Donovan’s face slow minutely, heard him say, “Have to give a little to get a little”, over and over again as his muscles slowly relaxed. A few more minutes, a deep breath, and then he looked straight at Dark. And his eyes were Gray’s.

Dark smiled and let out a breath he was unaware that he had been holding. Donovan had accepted Gray’s first contact. His memory would still need to return, but that would come soon, now that the first barriers were down. Gray was already using his strengths to heal Donovan, already fusing his psyche with his host. A few nights rest would allow enough of Gray in for Donovan to remember, and the process, while being somewhat mentally painful, would be allowed to complete, at which time the two would be officially Joined. Now to get Donovan comfortable and settled. He handed Donovan the small stack of clothing he held in his hand and waited for him to get dressed.

“There is food waiting in your quarters. Come, I want to get you settled in before I check on Jake.”

“Jake? Do I know him?”

Dark froze, his breath caught in his throat. Slowly, he forced himself to relax, and turning to Donovan, he pasted a smile on his face.

“You will.” He turned back around and led Donovan through the door and to his ‘quarters’. He would need to eat and meditate before checking on Jake. He hoped a few days seclusion and sleep would bring Donovan’s memories of Jake back. He knew if Gray had anything to do with it, he would. Otherwise, it was going to get very interesting around here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one more chapter written after this one, then I am not sure how long it will be before I can post another. Kudos and comments are food for my muse, so please let me know if you like this and would like more.


	9. Chapter Eight

Jake awoke to the sound of someone saying his name. He was in that space between sleep and awake when his muscles felt like liquid gold with relaxation and his mind was a wonderful blank of existence and enjoyment. His drifting mind became aware of a shining light inside his head. Opening his internal eye, his breath caught in wonderment as he gazed at the being before him. Brightness, beautiful and golden, shone at him, clothing a male body so perfect and glorious it made his head swim. If only he could but gaze at that form for all eternity, he would be content. I must be dead, he thought, and here I am in some kind of magnificent nirvana. The being grinned at him then, and suddenly it was less like looking at a god and more like looking at a friend, one with whom you’d just gotten into heaps of trouble with and it was all totally worth it, just because of that smile. The golden one reached out a hand to Jake, and with trembling fingers Jake accepted his grasp.

With that touch, lightning swirled in his brain, synapses connecting and firing, and in the space of a moment, he knew all, remembered everything. He ‘saw’ all of Sky’s memories, of the destruction of the home planet, of the centuries of searching through the heavens for the rogues, of the lives of the human hosts he had shared, of the love, passion and devotion Sky felt for his mates. And the growing affection he felt for him, for Jake, for making the sacrifice to be his host, and for being so eternally adorable. Jake’s whole body flushed with appreciation. He heard Sky’s voice in his head, so he knew that Dark was on his way to see him. He gazed at Sky with a sudden realization. Jake was Sky and Sky was Jake, and the two were one and the same. He knew that there were wrinkles to be ironed out and bits of this and that to be settled between them, but he had never felt more complete, more whole. Moreso even than in Donovan’s arms.

At the light knock on the door, Jake opened his eyes. His vision sparkled at the edges, then cleared. He lay there for a moment, blinking as his brain adjusted to the fact that his eyes now had perfect vision. He turned his head to look at Dark as he paused in the door, then sat up slowly to avoid being dizzy. He looked down at his legs and realized that he was naked. And hard. Well, now, that was an interesting development. He glanced up to see Dark staring at his erection. Goddess, the man was practically drooling. His cock jerked in response, and looking at Sky’s memories, he knew this was a treat for Dark, over the years, to be allowed to give Sky pleasure. Well, hell, who was he to stand in the path of tradition? He felt Sky smile. What was more, he felt Sky’s affection and regard for the man, and could feel that overlay on his own liking of the good doctor, and those feelings combined with the way he was looking at him made quite an aphrodisiac. Well, then, here goes nothing, in for a penny, in for a pound. He took a breath.

“Dark, how wonderful to see you again.” He blinked again as Dark’s breath hitched. 

There was something different about his voice, some quality he did not remember from before. Dark looked at him in wonder. Never had he seen anyone connect with the symbiont faster than this. Jake and Sky seemed to share the same soul. He saw Sky gazing out at him from Jake’s eyes, and yet, they were both there. Unified, yet completely separate. Two intelligent beings occupying the same space, sharing the same mind. But how? Jake shifted on the table and his attention was diverted to the member bobbing gently at the juncture of his powerful thighs.

“Jake. Your Highness. May I?” Jake looked at him, really looked at the man, for the first time. What he saw was a stocky well built male, a bit shorter than him but every inch the warrior. His entire being glided, his motions were made with a sensual economy of energy

“Would you like to suck my cock, Dark?”

“I would be honored, Sir.” Dark swallowed past the lump in his throat, there because it had been so long since he had been able to interact with Sky in any manner, and also because his throat was suddenly extremely dry. He hesitated long enough that Jake looked at him quizzically, then looked down at his leaking cock, and back up again at Dark, one brow raised.

Dark wasted no more time, but was on his knees at Jake’s crotch in under a second, taking time to inhale the man’s musky fragrance before swallowing him whole. The cock may not have been the same that he had tasted before on Sky, but he had always had an appreciation for Jake’s body, and as his physician, he had taken the opportunity to visually examine the man on more than one occasion. It didn’t take long for him to adapt to this new landscape and soon he had Jake moaning in appreciation. Dark looked up at him in adoration, saw his head thrown back in ecstasy, his body flushed with passion, and felt a jolt of pleasure spear through him. He quickly pulled his cock out of his pants, but touched it no further. That would have to wait for permission. Jake’s meat swelled in his mouth, all pulsating heat and scalding moisture. Dark greedily sucked at the proliferation of pre-cum, eyes closed in the heat of the moment. Jake tapped his cheek, the old signal to let him know that Sky was about to finish. Taking a deep breath, he sucked a few more times, then shoved Jake’s cock all the way down his throat, making swallowing motions and humming as the man moaned and groaned above him for several moments. Jake made one last thrust into Dark’s mouth, Sky remembering how it was with him, and then he was releasing, his vision going all radiant and sparkling around the edges as his head tried to catch up to his body.

He panted through long moments of Dark licking him completely clean. His vision cleared, and he looked down at Dark’s bent head.

“I want you to cum for me now. Stroke your cock and show me how much you love me.”

With a groan Dark spit some of the cum he had just obtained from Jake into his hand, then palmed his aching leaking cock and stroked exactly three times up and down before spilling his passion onto the floor, his entire body quivering and spasming as he came. He leaned his head against Sky’s legs, replete in a way he had not been since the last time he was able to service Sky. He had no idea why, of Rain’s men, this one man could master him in a way that was unlike the passions that Gray’s fighting prowess stirred within him. This man, whom everyone saw as a beta because of his quiet ways, was actually the strongest mentally and emotionally of the two, and the one that Rain leaned on the most. And Dark’s desire for him was that of a pet for his master. And as a master to his pet, Sky laid his hand gently upon Dark’s head, and stroked his hair.

Dark finally stirred, cleaned himself and the floor up with tissues from the bedside table, and re-fastened his pants. Jake stared at him, fascinated by the integration of his and Sky’s vision of the man, and smiling as he watched Dark transform into the good doctor once more. When he finally looked back up at him, he was once more the efficient caring physician that Jake had known him as for many months. Dark walked over to a small dresser, retrieved a stack of clothing, and brought it back to Jake. Dark bowed over the clothes as he presented them to Jake.

“Your Highness, as much as I adore looking at your form, we must walk the halls where others may see you, and as much as I know you have no modesty in this, My Lady has other ideas. Please, if you will allow me to dress you?”

“So formal, Dark, after all these lifetimes?” He teased him, even as he stood to allow Dark to dress him, assisting him as required. Once upon a time, this would have taken a half hour to accomplish. So glad that humans have at least progressed this much!

“My Lord, I thank you for your gift to me today. We had not expected you to come to an understanding so quickly. But, of course, you’ve not had the battle that Donovan has.” Jake reached out to stop the man.

“What do you mean? Is something wrong with Donovan?” He was panicking even as Sky rushed to assure him. Rain would have come to him if there was something unduly wrong. Jake took several deep breaths, his eyes slowly calming, then he looked at Dark again.

“I take it that Donovan is being a stubborn ass as usual?”

“Let’s just say that Gray has his work cut out for him.” He tried to be diplomatic, he swore he did. He was relieved when Jake laughed, and he could sense Sky’s humor as well.

“That sounds about right. So, now that I’m dressed, where are we off to?”

“Your new quarters, My Lord.”

“New? What was wrong with the old ones?”

Dark tried to not smile, only half succeeding.

“Well, they just aren’t big enough anymore.” He swore his left eye was going to fall out, it wanted to twitch so badly.

“Not big enough? Why the hell aren’t they bi…? Ohhhh.” Dark could tell the instant that Sky decided to end the confusion.

“Summer is currently catching up with reading reports, and Donovan will be quartered separately for a time. Joining can sometimes be a very painful internal process and the less distraction the better. Like I mentioned before, we have never seen a Joining as quick and painless as your own. You have your open accepting nature to thank for that. It will take some time for you to re-organize your mind in order to access information, and there will always be two voices inside your head. It would appear that you and Sky are what you would call soulmates, two halves of a whole. You complete each other in a way that no one living outside your head could do. I have heard tales of this, myths and legends of our people, but never have I seen it with my own eyes. I am honored.”

“So, what you’re saying is, I really can argue with myself…and lose.” Jake knew he was being flippant, but dammit, it was freaking funny. Sky agreed.

Dark rolled his eyes as he shook his head at the pair. Never a dull moment.

“Come on, Your Highnesses. I’d like to get back to my own quarters for dinner. Not to mention, Rain is waiting.”

Jake got all shivery when he thought about Summer Rain. Remembering the woman he had gotten to know and love in such a short time, layered over by the warrior queen from Sky’s memories, just the thought of being in her presence made him nervous. He was in awe at the things Sky remembered, the carefree beauty of the creature she had been when they had all danced under the stars of a strange sky, before they had to make a choice, to die as their planet died, or to continue in order to fight and to bring harmony back to the universe. So many of their kind had chosen eternal death, their spirits being consumed by the sun as it burned hot and fast, one final time. They simply could not exist in a world where they had to watch their brethren take another’s life. Rain had been a minor noble of a minor house, unimportant in the grand scheme, at least, that was how she saw it. She had watched in silent fury as one after another of her people chose to die with their planet, flying up into the dying sun. It wasn’t until her own parents had made that choice that she stepped forward, to entreat, beg, cajole, and finally, to command what was left of her people. As people from this planet had a saying, ‘Don’t drink the Kool-Aid’, she brought what was left of their people to order. A few more made the choice to fly away, but then those who were left pledged their allegiance to her as their new Queen, and she, in turn, pledged to them the now ancient words of ritual acceptance of her role as leader, pledged them on the now dead souls of her people. And then she took them into the stars as their world began to burn around them. Oh, how he had loved her even then!

Dark watched him in silence as his world burned from the inside out, as he struggled to accept the grief that was still very much a part of the lives of all Talon. When Jake finally looked up at him, tears streaming down his cheeks, he could do no other than to take the man in his arms as he collapsed sobbing into them. With his own face wet with remembered grief, he held him until Jake pulled away, wiping his eyes. Dark let him go, then when Jake gestured to the door, led him out. They had a queen to go see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all I currently have written for this story. I have been super busy in RL. This is Pride Week where I live and I am heavily involved in the Festival and Parade, culminating next weekend, so I have not had much time to myself. I hope to get some writing done in the next week or so, but I will be out of town for a week at a pagan festival first part of November, as I am vending there. I have no plans between that and Thanksgiving, so hopefully I can get a few more chapters down and posted. 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated; they feed my muse. I am pixierosedragon everywhere online, including tumblr, so come see me!


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